ASUS Eee Pad Transformer vs Toshiba Tablet (AT100): Tablet showdown

Two of the latest Android "Honeycomb" tablets to hit the Australian market are the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and the unimaginatively named Toshiba Tablet (otherwise known as the AT100 in Australia, and the Toshiba Thrive in other markets). Both tablets attempt to add some variety to the market — the Eee Pad Transformer is bundled with an optional keyboard dock that adds extra functionality, and the Toshiba Tablet boasts a full sized HDMI port, a full sized SD card slot, and a removable battery.

Both available now through major Australian retailers, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and the Toshiba Tablet share a 10.1in sized touchscreen, run almost identical software and have similar ports and features. With this in mind, how does the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer compare to the Toshiba Tablet when it comes to specifications?

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer vs Toshiba Tablet: Specifications

Feature

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer

Toshiba Tablet (AT100)

Verdict

Display size

10.1in

10.1in

Draw

Display technology

Capacitive IPS

Capacitive IPS

Draw

Display resolution

1280x800 pixels

1280x800 pixels

Draw

Multitouch

Yes

Yes

Draw

Front camera

1.2 megapixels

2 megapixels

Toshiba Tablet

Rear camera

5 megapixels, no flash, autofocus, geotagging

5 megapixels, no flash, autofocus, geotagging

Draw

Video recording

Yes, 720p HD

Yes, standard definition

Eee Pad Transformer

GPS

Yes

Yes

Draw

Internal memory

16GB or 32GB

16GB

Eee Pad Transformer

Expandable memory

microSD (full sized SD on dock)

Full sized SD

Toshiba Tablet

Dimensions

271 x 171 x 13mm

272 x 175 x 15mm

Eee Pad Transformer

Weight

680g

771g

Eee Pad Transformer

Processor

NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core (1GHz)

NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core (1GHz)

Draw

RAM

1GB

1GB

Draw

3G networks

Wi-Fi only

Wi-Fi only

Draw

Bluetooth

2.1 with A2DP

3.0 with A2DP

Toshiba Tablet

HDMI-out

Yes, mini HDMI

Yes, full size HDMI

Toshiba Tablet

USB port

Only on keyboard dock (2 full size)

Yes, full size

Toshiba Tablet

Quoted battery life

Up to 9 hours

Between 7-8 hours

Eee Pad Transformer

Removable battery

No

Yes

Toshiba Tablet

Adobe Flash support

Yes

Yes

Draw

Software and performance

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and the Toshiba Tablet (AT100) both run the same software, so the end user experience is almost identical. However, both tablets are currently in the process of being updated to the latest 3.1 version of Google's "Honeycomb" version of Android. The Eee Pad Transformer received the 3.1 software update over-the-air during our review period, while Toshiba has not confirmed a date for the update but expects it in the "coming weeks". Android 3.1 brings improved UI transitions, an expandable and scrollable recent apps menu, and resizable home screen widgets, along with improvements to the standard Web browser, calendar, e-mail and gallery apps.

The software on both the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and the Toshiba Tablet is a 'vanilla' version of the Honeycomb OS, though ASUS includes its Waveshare UI on the Eee Pad Transformer. Additions include a file manager, a MyCloud storage app, a MyLibrary books app, and a MyNet app for streaming multimedia content via DLNA. The MyCloud app offers one year of unlimited cloud storage. ASUS also includes handy e-mail, clock and weather widgets, though we found these made scrolling through home screens sluggish and choppy.

The Australian model of the Toshiba Tablet ships with Norton Mobile Security software, the ThinkFree office suite that enables the creation of Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents, and the Toshiba Media Player that handles a wide range of video, audio and image files, and can stream music and videos to a DLNA-enabled TV. Toshiba also includes a PrinterShare app that enables wireless printing, though oddly, the app appears to be designed for Android phones rather than tablets, and only fills about a quarter of the Tablet's screen. The best inclusion is Toshiba's File Manager app, which easily allows you to access the Tablet's internal memory, the SD card and the USB slot.

Both tablets offer a slick Web browser that is fast and displays Flash content, most of the time with minimal delay. They also support tabbed Web browsing, and the entire browsing experience is as close as you'll find to a full desktop or notebook computer. The on-screen keyboard on both tablets is spacious and comfortable to type on once you get used to its layout.

Design

As a standalone device, the Eee Pad Transformer has textured plastic on the rear which makes it easy to grip. However, the plastic does exhibit a bit of flex when pressed, and the bezel surrounding the display seems a little large. At 271mm in length, the Eee Pad Transformer is a large device. Weighing 680g, it's heavier than the featherweight Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, but lighter than the Toshiba Tablet. The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer obviously gets its name from the optional keyboard dock, but the tablet can be purchased without the keyboard dock for $599 in Australia.

The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer's keyboard dock has two full-sized USB ports, an SD card slot and a trackpad, as well as its own built-in battery. ASUS says the battery offers an additional six and half hours of use.

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